Sunday, February 10, 2008

From the Bishop: Keeping A Holy Lent

B. Michael Watson

Ash Wednesday was February 6 this year, and Ash Wednesday is the first day of the holy season of Lent in the Christian year. I pray that this will be a holy Lent for you and me. During this season we have the opportunity to be intentional about our preparations for the glorious celebration of Easter. Our Lenten preparations can make a difference in our ability to recognize God’s powerful victory over sin and death as we worship on Easter Sunday with Christian all over the world.We often prepare for important events because we intuitively know that proper preparation can lead to more meaningful celebration. We prepare for birthdays, anniversaries, reunions, graduations, weddings, funerals, and many other special days. If we fail to prepare well, we can fail to grasp the full significance of the big event. Our preparation is important.

Some people make Lenten preparation by giving up something in their lives. Others make Lent a season of adding something special into their lives. Many attend Ash Wednesday, Lenten, and Holy Week services as a way of preparing for Easter morning and its Good News.Let me encourage you to do something different this Lent. Find a way to prepare for Easter that causes you to remember Christ’s sacrificial love every day during this holy season. Find a way to live toward Easter that glorifies God and opens you to God’s miraculous, loving, and saving grace. Give God the chance to work in and through your life during this season of Lent so that you will rejoice in the experience of God’s mighty power to overcome the greatest obstacles in human existence.

Lent teaches us that God works through difficult circumstances to accomplish dramatic victory. God is able to roll away every stone than is placed before his children. God is in the redemption, restoration, and resurrection business. Live that faith this Lent and prepare to experience God’s glorious Easter.

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